Lady Greensleeves
by Chameleon Eyes
Summary: Lady Greensleeves is a young woman who sings in the trees and bathes in the moonlight. Her beauty is a legend across the lands; many men attempt to woo her with gifts and promises. But she is restless. She simply refuses to fall in love, and no man can entrap her with his charms and riches. Until one night she meets Link, and his heartfelt song changes her heart. Zelink. One shot.


**I've been working on this for a _very _long time, and I'm quite proud of writing it out and finally finishing it! This story is based on the traditional English folk song _My Lady Greensleeves, _a song I strongly recommend readers who can tolerate background music to listen to while reading this. If you've ever listened to the lyrics, I attempted to incorporate them into my story. I also tried to write in a storytelling narrative, as if a storyteller in Hyrule was retelling a fairy tale. **

**Let me know what you think! :^)**

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><p><strong>Lady Greensleeves<strong>

_by Chameleon Eyes_

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><p>There once was a young girl who lived in a small castle at the edge of the forest. A carefree lark by night, she danced in the woods, rolled on the green hills and swam in the streams of the wild. But in the day, her mother ensured she remained in her seat, straight as a rod, to attend the civilities of nobility. It bored the girl, the polite talk and the lavish food, the gifts the men and their families brought her, that she entertained herself with thoughts of the rustle of leaves in the wind and the songs of birds. She never realized that their invitations were a ploy by her mother to marry her off once she came of age, to gain the jewels and gold a nobleman would offer. She never realized until later what a poor fool she was.<p>

At her fourteenth year, the girl underwent a change and finally became a woman. Her mother smiled as she watched her only daughter run a brush through her golden hair in the sunlight of her bedroom. She was like a flower, ready to be picked by a man who would nourish her with his riches. With sapphire eyes, soft curves, full lips, and hair as gold as straw, the parties became more frequent with men attempting to please the young woman. They offered her gifts of gold, smooth fabrics from exotic lands, vivid dresses of blue, glistening jewels, and beautiful flowers uncommon in the soil of Hyrule. She constantly rejected their offerings with bitter resentment. And her mother apologized to the men on the behalf of her daughter, eagerly accepting their gifts and reassuring that patience would win her daughter's heart.

But patience did not change her mind or her heart. Years had passed since their hopeful gifts, and the men gave up in capturing her love. The young woman was now twenty, but was still as childish as ever. Much to her mother's dismay, she continued to walk in the woods and sing with the birds. The drawing room became dusty, their best silverware went unpolished, and the knocks on the door disappeared. Suitors stopped coming, and the lady's legendary beauty was passed between men in taverns and inns.

"Such beauty wasted," one man said. He was one of the hopeful suitors who had a glimpse of the lady. "Eyes as large as the moon and lips as soft as a flower's petal, no man could resist her outer charm. But inside, she was as cold as a winter's night. She rejected each of our advances, but her witch of a mother stole our gifts, and some of us became poor." He was one of the smarter suitors who realized that she would never settle down, and he spoke the tale without a tear rolling down his cheek. His words of wisdom warned the others not to seek her hand. "Rumour says that she was a nymph, dancing in the wilds of the woods. I believe it to be true. When I saw her, the sleeves of her dress were stained with the greens of grass." The men around him eagerly leaned in closer. "We called her Lady Greensleeves."

A young man, fair as the sun, spoke up. "What is her real name?"

The men turned to look at him. He was in a dark corner, away from their merry table, and suspicions arose from his eavesdropping.

The old suitor smiled. "Ah. And why might you be so curious, young lad?"

"I would like to meet her one day and see if the stories are true."

The men laughed. The young man stared, unfazed.

"Her name is long forgotten," the older man replied. "She still lives in the old castle near the woods. Though her mother has long passed, Lady Greensleeves can still be heard singing in the forest."

"And where is this castle which you speak of?"

"Why bother? She rejects any man that approaches her and prefers to be alone. You are no different from any other man," said the older man. "Save yourself the heartache."

"I have fallen in love with this lady through the stories I hear of her. Though she can be quite cruel, I am persistent and I have an abundance of riches to shower her with." The young man's voice was full of passion, and the older man felt pity for him. The rest of the men fell silent as they watched a strange conversation unfold. No man had ever bothered to find the mysterious Lady Greensleeves.

He scrutinized him. "You dress like a beggar, boy! Stop with your lies."

"These are my travelling clothes." The young man dug in his pocket before pulling out a silver chain. Connected to it was a small square emerald with elaborate designs of diamond water lilies.

The men gasped, recognizing the emblem, but the older man shook his head sadly. "King Link, you are a fool to embark on this quest. She does not desire the attentions of any man, whether rich or poor, but prefers to live a quiet life near the forest."

A sly smile sprung on Link's lips. "I am no ordinary man. Many a lady has fallen under my chivalry and gracious charms. She is no different from any other woman."

The older man sighed. He would answer the question that his king had given him. "If you are so confident, I shall tell you where Lady Greensleeves resides. She lives southeast of Faron, in the pleasant woods far from any town or village. Go, child, and experience her heartlessness and indifference, and perhaps your arrogance will learn to restrain your desires."

He ignored the older man's warning and set out at once. As the sun rose over and over, and the cool nights' beaconing moon floated in the dark sky, Link travelled through environments told in tales by veterans, marching towards Lady Greensleeves with profound hope in his heart and treasures aboard. The blistering deserts and snowy mountains threatened to engulf him with their extreme temperatures, but he trudged on and dreamt of Lady Greensleeves. Like many others before him, he was enchanted by her legendary beauty that she possessed. Her previous suitors were not as determined as Link nor did they own as much land and jewels as he, and thus he thought his chance of wooing her high.

However, he underestimated Lady Greensleeves. Broken hearted, she felt betrayed and used by her dead mother, and vowed that she would never marry to defy her mother's only wish. In her childhood, her mother had an ulterior motive that was both cruel and selfish, and it escalated as Lady Greensleeves' looks began to blossom. She remained a prisoner at the parties thrown in her honour, and was unhappy and restless as ever when she danced and talked among her many suitors. The smiling faces were pale ovals to her, their gifts of beauty meaningless as they draped the house and adorned her chest and skirts. She desperately wanted to leave the room, but her mother's stern look forced her to remain poised in her golden throne. Torn apart between her mother's wishes and her own feelings, Lady Greensleeves lived unhappy years in the old castle. The sorrow still shadowed her as she walked under the canopy of the forest.

Then, one night, she felt unusually happy as she swirled beneath the full moon's light. It smiled down upon her, its soft glow lighting her features in a ghostly glimmer. The sound of rushing water beckoned her to dip her bare feet into the cold river. With skirts and hair flowing behind her, she ran towards it, feeling free as a flying sparrow.

Link finally reached Faron Woods in the dead of night. The moonlight illuminated the forest's sighing trees in shades of grey, and he could see the shadows of the leaves rustle on the forest floor. In the distance the thunderous crash of a river was heard. He directed himself towards it, for he was thirsty and tired, and the feeling of cold water against his moist skin would be the most refreshing.

As he warily passed dark boles, the sound of a woman's voice ringed high in the air, its sweet melody floating through the chorus of leaves. Without thinking, he ran towards wherever the voice was coming from, his thoughts that it could be no other but his Lady Greensleeves. The sight of pale green skirts caught his eye, flickering in the starlight and flowing through the forest with magnificent speed.

"Wait!" He called, but the wind carried his plea away and the skirts disappeared into the shadows.

He could still hear the sweet melody faint in the crisp air of night. He followed, and it became clearer as he went towards the river.

Lady Greensleeves sat by the river's edge singing, and her fingertips stroked the calm part of the angry water, as if she was taming the rapids. Suddenly, she heard a loud _splash, _and she looked at where the sound came from. A fair head bobbed from below the icy water's grasp, his arms thrashing about and attempting to keep afloat. There was a man drowning, and Lady Greensleeves dove into the water's embrace without a concern to her own safety. The years spent underneath the flow of water made her an excellent swimmer. She cut through the water like a fish going against the river's current. A dark figure lingered beneath the clear water's surface. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him to the river's bank.

His eyes were closed and his face was pale. He felt the cold wind whip against his wet body ruthlessly, and he shivered as a shadow passed over him.

Lady Greensleeves was quiet as she studied this strange man. With the fine contours of his face and curved lips, the man was undeniably handsome. She felt her heart flutter.

He opened his azure eyes. "Lady Greensleeves." He murmured. The legends of her beauty were remarkably true. No words could express his amazement or her beauty. The moonlight seemed to emit from within her, and floated around her face like diamonds cut out of the sky.

She was confused by his mumbled words.

Feeling faint, he grasped her long flowing sleeves between his weak fingers. "I am so cold," he whispered. Her eyes widened.

She went into the woods to gather materials to start a small fire. She breathed life into the pile of wood, and the fire blazed, casting an orange glow and dark shadows as it danced into the night. She watched the man sleep near the warmth of the fire, until daylight appeared and she vanished with the stars and moon.

Link woke up with the strangest dream. He dreamt of Lady Greensleeves, and that he actually saw her sad beautiful face. The damp clothes which he wore made him remember that his dream was reality. As he watched the ashes and embers blow in the breeze, he was more determined than ever to search for Lady Greensleeves. He continued following her mellifluous murmurs, enchanted by the sweet notes that floated high and low.

_My men were clothed all in green,_

_And they did ever wait on thee._

The leaves swirled around the hems of her skirt as she walked under the yellow green leaves of the trees. He smiled and sung the words of his heart to the tune of her melody.

_All this was gallant to be seen,_

_And yet thou wouldst not love me._

Her feet stopped moving at the sound of the powerful voice. She glanced to her right. There, in the sunlit forest was the man she saved. He was a lion in the wilderness as the light bounced off his golden locks and lit his eyes with strong passion.

Without a word, she ran.

"Wait!" He cried.

But she didn't. She ran towards her home, weaving through the trunks of the trees. He followed her easily, for he was as robust and fast as a stallion, all the while calling out her sobriquet.

"Lady Greensleeves!"

She ignored his calls.

"Lady Greensleeves!"

She was infuriated by the name he called her.

"My Lady Greensleevses."

The pleading and longing in his words halted her. She had never heard a sound so sad, and for the first time in a long while, she willed her ears to listen.

"What is it?" She asked curiously. His eyes scanned her face and every inch of her body. Furious, her gentleness suddenly turned violent. "Do you seek my hand like all the other fools before you?"

An honest man, he did not hold back the truth. "Yes—,"

"How blind you are!" She interrupted. "Have the other men not warn you? Have they not spoken about the hundreds of suitors that hoped to marry me? That I have rejected each offer?"

"Yes, they have. My Lady," he bowed. He was calm, and her boiling anger cooled by his unusual politeness. She found his reaction amusing.

"My name is truly Lady Zelda Nohansen. I see that the men have long forgotten my name and have renamed me Lady Greensleeves. Such mockery!" Her laughter sounded like bells. "I do not care what they think of me. If they think that I have a secret lover to fool around with in the forest, so be it. If they think I am a vulgar person to have such a filthy job, so be it. I keep to myself in my own little world and do not care what outsiders think of me."

"Oh, but Lady Zelda, your accusations are wrong! They have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for your beauty and charms."

"Of course," she sighed.

He stepped closer to her, the space between them slowly disappearing.

"They call you Lady Greensleeves because they believe you to be an honourable woman. Green symbolizes fidelity, and I have never met someone as faithful to the Earth as you."

A wistful smile sprouted upon her fair face. "Ah, the Earth sings to me and cares for me. Never a man has done what the Earth has done for me." Her smile faltered at a sudden thought. "Nor my mother."

The rustle of trees cast shimmering shadows upon them both. He did not know how to respond to the hurt in her eyes. They flashed away from him, burning cold blue as her cheeks turned cardinal red. She was a blur of bold colours as she flew with the wind into the heart of the forest. He followed her again, and she led him to her mother's small castle.

His soft footfalls on a twig made her turn furiously, those angry eyes snapping towards his calm gaze. He let her shout at him. "I do not need you, or your riches, charms, comforts…any of it! Leave me be, stranger. And return to the lands you call home!"

He bowed. The forgotten gestures of mannerisms caught her off guard. She never saw such elegant form from a man, and the memories of fools falling over each other swam before her eyes, the very men she hurt and pushed away because she held a grudge against her mother. She fell silent, slightly embarrassed for her savagery, toning her hostility down in the form of a welcoming smile. The apples of her cheeks turned pink as cosmos.

"I—," she began, unsure of how to conjure abandoned customs. "Forgive me. I never got your name," she said with difficulty.

Ignoring her awkward timing was easy for a man who had fallen in love. He loved her smile, the way it lit up her face like the sun lit up the forest. "I am Link Lockhart," he said, gently taking her hand and placing his warm lips on her pale skin. "Although you do not care about wealth and status, I will keep no secrets from you. I am the current King of Hyrule," he smiled brightly. "And I want you to be my queen."

_Confusion._ That is what she felt in her. It was tearing her apart. Her virtuous mind never forgot the past, and the past made her vow to have feelings for any man. Yet, this man before her with his hopeful glimmer in the blues of his eyes made her heart flutter, made her forget her angry, frustrated past. A hidden desire brewed within her blood. A desire to be with someone, to speak and laugh again with another human being, to love and be loved, forced her hostility to vanish and her true, kind self to emerge.

She let her heart win, taking his hand and leading him into the overgrown yard of her castle.

"King Link Lockehart," she said, feeling foreign with her guest. Civility was conjured from the lessons her mother had taught her, and she felt naturally at ease as her back straightened once more. "It is an honour to have you here."

Her talk made him shocked. At first glance he noticed her for a wild child of the forest, untamed like the rose bushes growing over the stone walls. Now she was like a fully bloomed rose as she floated towards the door, ignoring the wild green consuming her shack of a castle. Her transition from caterpillar to butterfly was astonishing that he was at a loss for words. When she glanced to him, waiting for a response, he blushed and averted her curious gaze.

"Well," she said, "are you coming in?"

He nodded, and she lent her hand to help him through the door.

The rooms were barren in her little castle, all but the occasional furniture that stuck out like the bare limbs of trees in winter. A thin film of dust settled on every surface like a layer of soft snow. The shutters of the windows were closed shut, keeping the light out and the hot air in. Here and there were the remains of broken beauty: a cracked tea cup, elegantly designed with the soft swirls of petals; a mahogany cabinet flipped over, its glass still lying on the stone floors along with its crystal china and dim silverware; a dresser ripped open, its contents of colourful dresses sprawled over chairs, tables, crooked picture frames, splashing the dullness of the rooms. The castle was a mess.

"My home is unkempt. Forgive me, your majesty."

He waved a hand, as if dirtiness was common to him. He tripped over a pile of books, his eyes wide in panic, caught his footing and stood tall, dusting off invisible dirt as if he had fallen.

"My castle is yours, King Link," she curtsied, a bit clumsily as she went down. As she resumed to her stance, she did it with the utmost grace.

He ventured off into other rooms as she went into the kitchen to make refreshments. It was all the same in each threshold he stepped into—dusty, unmaintained, stuffy. The remnants of her past were untold stories in the furniture, the absence of material beauty, and the ones that were overturned.

He studied his surroundings, and determined he was in the master bedroom of the castle. A large bed sat in the middle of the room, lavishly made with velvet silks and satin curtains of the deepest shades of plum. A desk of mahogany was unaligned against the walls. Someone attempted to flip it like the other furniture, but being too heavy, she failed in her task and rearranged it crookedly like the heavy paintings placed around the walls.

One painting caught his eye. Most of the paintings were thrown on the ground or hung oddly. This one hung straight, its glass case shattered and the face burnt. He picked it up and examined it closely. The body was of a woman dressed in violet, her blonde hair cascading down to the front of her waist. Gold rings with jewels were on each finger of her hand, her wrists shining diamonds, and silver necklaces of pearls hung around her neck.

"Your Majesty?" The lady called.

He abruptly turned, dropping the portrait in the process.

"Your meal is ready," she said.

He followed her into the dining room. It was large with long oak tables and matching chairs. Cabinets were missing silverware and china, but dust still clung to the shelves. The scattered culinary was swept up and tossed aside. He peeked behind the curtain, looked at the lumps underneath the red carpet and smiled. She had brushed the mess under the rugs and threw them behind curtains.

"Lady," he said softly. "I appreciate your efforts. But, please, this is too much for my future queen. You shall come to my castle and have servants wait on every hand and foot."

Food was set down before him. The aroma of venison and vegetables filled the air.

"I invited you to my table to speak with you, King Link."

"And what matters do you wish to come forth?"

"Your infatuation with me," she sat down to his right, "is a curiosity. Why do you like me so?"

"As I have said," he stabbed a leek, "the stories of you have gained my attention and I have searched for you for many years. Now that I have finally found you, I wish to make you my queen."

"Tell me your adventures."

He finished chewing before he spoke. "I will, my lady, when you arrive at my home and enchant the court with your beauty," he smiled.

She blushed. "You speak too highly of me, King Link."

"Please," his hand held hers softly, "call me Link."

She tested his name on her tongue. "Link," she whispered, liking how his name started softly.

He finished his meal, downed the remnants of his ale, and stood. "Let us leave tomorrow." He offered his hand.

She regretted not saying a word for most of the meal. "Link,"

"Yes, my lady?"

"I will marry you. On one condition."

Kneeling on the floor, he laced her hands with his and smiled warmly. "I will do anything for my love."

"Allow me to visit the forests. That is all I wish." She inclined her head.

"I will," he promised.

But he never did.

…

She was wilting. A flower ripped from the Earth and thrown into the dark, her beauty curled within itself. Vines of ivy flowed beneath her translucent skin; pools of grey swam beneath her pale eyes. She was driftwood, empty and hollow, travelling across the vacant seas of her tragic mind.

Like a ghost, she wandered the halls of the castle at night, soaking in the moon's soft light, and the dull starlight of the ink spilled sky were like pieces of broken memories blinking in a distant land. The wind called to her, beckoned her to leave the castle and live under the trees once more.

But she couldn't. In these stone walls, she was a prisoner, doomed to drift aimlessly until her husband set her free.

"I wed thee, my lady, and I vow to give your desires," he had promised her.

She wished to be under the trees. To see the sky. To breathe the sweet air. To laugh and dance under the moon and sun, to swim and bathe in the cool pools of the waters.

"You will, my love. Now is not the time. To bed," he said.

She did what he said. She loved him with all her heart. But he still did not grant her only wish.

Sensing her depression, Link ordered all the jewels from the deserts, all the crystals in caves of ice, the vibrant silks from merchants, smelled various perfumes, ordered his servants dress in green, bought the rarest woods for her dressers, hired the finest artists to paint her beauty and homeland, trained beloved wolves to be his lady's pets, and demanded storytellers to explore the world and bring back tales of wonder to his wife.

All this did not satisfy his beloved.

"The sun, my lord. I wish to see the sun!"

The king smiled like he always smiled, and then demanded his men to build a large window of glass in the queen's chambers.

"I have given you the sun." He said once the construction was done. Then he kissed her hand and led her to his bed.

Whenever she requested for the sun's warmth, the king embraced her and led her to her window. Like a child, she was set into a nearby seat. The view was breathtaking. The sunset left her vision as it had done years ago. But it was not the same.

"My lord, I wish to smell the sweet scent of flowers."

The next morning, her room was filled with every flower Hyrule had ever grown. The sickly sweet scent burned her nose, and her mouth turned. She did not complain. Instead, she held her husband's hand, kneeled before him, and kissed his palm.

"Such beauty has never smelled so wonderful, my lord," she smiled thinly.

The flowers wilted, and with it, her spirit.

"What more gifts do you want?" He beamed one day.

Zelda bowed her head. "My lord, I do not wish for anything at all, but to feel the wind on my skin."

Link built a tower for his queen. It rose higher than the tallest trees, and the wind stormed on the balcony roof. The royal couple watched the clouds swirl around them. Link examined Zelda, expecting her to cry out in enjoy. The cold wind whipped her hair and slapped her skin. She grimaced.

"This is not what I wished for!" She cried.

The king allowed her to sob into his chest. "What is it that you want?" He whispered into her blonde head.

"I want to see the trees," she said.

Months later, on the queen's birthday, Link grabbed her hand and led her to the ground floor.

"I have a surprise for you," he said jovially.

She smiled weakly, her eyes covered by Link's hands. "What is it?"

He put his hands around her waist.

Zelda gasped as she stared into the forest. Then, with more awe, she realized that the forest was indoors.

A room of glass allowed the sun to hit the green foliage. The scent of flowers filled the air, and the summer's wind sighed softly from opened windows. Nearby, the rush of trickling of a waterfall was heard.

She placed a foot into the damp soil, immediately knowing that this was _her _soil from the land she lost.

The sound of a lute, harp and ocarina turned her ear.

Link began strumming the strings of his lute, gazing lovingly at Zelda.

"I have composed a song for you, my love. It is to the melody of the song we once sang in the woods together."

He started singing the soft melodies in mellow notes.

_Greensleeves was all my joy_

_Greensleeves was my delight,_

_Greensleeves was my heart of gold,_

_And who but my lady greensleeves._

"My love!" She cried in joy. "It is beautiful." She wrapped her arms around him.

"I love you."

"And I love you," she beamed, and planted her love onto his cheek.

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><p><strong>I wanted to make this story longer, but knowing me, I would've transformed it into a chapter story. So...what I have to ask is...does the ending satisfy you? And does the ending seem imbalanced when compared to the beginning? <strong>

**Thank you for reading my story, and I hoped you liked it! :^)**


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